KDC1956

Just a ? for all.How much are you willing to spend to bring back a old 10 speed bicycle.I am working on one now its a old road master I have it all torn down and have the frame prime.Its been this way for over a year now so I though I would finish it this spring I have all the parts to redo it the only part I don't have is the drop handlebar for it.It takes the 25.4 I found them at a good price I will post pic of it some time this spring but I am not sure what color it will be as of yet.Has anyone done this before and don't mind what they spend on it.

Ex Pres 

please buy some puncuation.

And a Roadmaster? Don't spend much. That's a $25 bicycle.

bigvegan

How old?

Are we talking Wal-Mart Roadmaster junk here, or are we talking about one of the older AMF Roadmasters (as seen in the Little 500 scene of Breaking Away)?

This shot of the 1977 event uses AMF number cards, so I'm guessing they might have provided the bikes, and might be similar to yours.

I wouldn't spend too much on it, but it might be worth putting some money into just for kitsch / entertainment / fun value. (It's not a bike that you could ever resell for much over $100, so set your budget at how much it will be worth for you to own and ride it in restored condition, and go from there.) They have been restored before - https://oldtenspeedgallery.com/owner-...ster-pro-tour/

thompsonpost

I'd spend no more than a buck four ninety eight on it. Sorry, but that really is the truth.

ebr898

I am not going to be so negitve, some times building a bike even a low end one is a great learning experiance. Ya gota start some where. I know I did a pant job on a old Schwinn World that was nothing more than an exersize in painting.


The question about how much too spend: First Does it Fit you? Can you find and purchase a better bike?

I just checked the Arkansas craigslistings, Holy @*$)$ it is a dead zone, with any decent bike priced about triple of what I would pay up here in Kansas City area.

This web site https://www.bikewebsite.com/ said he set his threshold at triple your money IE don't buy a bike for $20 if you are not going to get $60 out of it. If your RoadMaster is a "Bike Shaped Object" like you are suspected of having I would be carefull of sinking too much money in it.

The Drop bars you are looking for sound like old steel - generaly from department store level bike ( not always though). I cleaned my parts bin out last spring and tossed a couple of those. If you cannot find any send me a PM, If I have some they are yours , Free, just cover the shipping.

thompsonpost

Negative is in the eye of the beholder. I personally would not consider touching a Roadmaster with a wrench, not for any other reason than it will deteriorate back to it's previous state from the minute you touch it.

ebr898

I will agree with you, the Roadmaster will return to its original state ( bike shaped object). The question is will the Original Poster return to his original state after the project?

randyjawa 

Remember, life is supposed to be a journey. Enjoy it. As for fixing up an old bicycle, I agree with one of the above posters. Start with something like you have, fix it up making mistakes in the process and then ride the bike. The cost will be more than the bike will likely be worth in the end but the experience of building it will certainly be worth the cost, if you learn and have fun.

This is how I started. My first restoration proved to be too big for me. The frame, unbeknown to me when I started the build, was bent. And I managed to take a pretty decent factory paint job and screw it up thus reducing the value of the bicycle. Read all about my mistakes here

https://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpe...troduction.htm


Take the time to have a good look. I promise the articles featured will help you save money, time and effort with any restoration you might have in mind.

Bianchigirll 

post a few pics. a bit more information can help us alot. as bigvegan said just hwat era is the bike from? if it has a one peice crankset it is likely a lowend bike. but a threpeice may mean something else. show us a few good pics with cloeups of the BB and reardropouts.

even if the bike is not a rare $100,000 find you can always find a way to use. rebuilding it will be a great experience as mentioned. you can get some cheap steel bars at the local bikeshop, build it up and give to some kid who needs a nice new bike.

thompsonpost

He'll certainly be more informed.

I used to work for "Tim's Bikes" in Everett, WA. back in the '90's and when a mother would bring her child's Roadmaster or equal in to have work done on it I always developed deep guilt if it were handed to me. It takes much more time to get things on them to work than the amount of time it takes to install most of the parts. Headsets never lined up right, brakes were always a hassle. Derailleurs were deadly, but if you (OP) need building practice, it's the right bike to get it from.

My uncle used to say, "Want to learn how to work on a car, buy a Ford."

Knock yourself out, KDC1956, but expect to run into some frustration.

Mos6502

I've never understood the dread bike mechanics have developed for cheap American made bikes. Since it makes no sense considering they are definitely the easiest and most straight forward machines to work on. I'd much rather work on an AMF than say some foreign light weight with free-ball bearings that needs some wacky proprietary tools to get the headset apart.

Even so, keep in mind the AMF cost under $100 new if it was made before the 80s, it's simply not worth putting much money into, except for your own personal satisfaction.

As for the original post, I've torn down and refurbished about 20 old American bicycles, Schwinns, Columbias, Murrays, Hawthornes, etc. Even a couple of AMF three speeds. I've never repainted one because the effort simply isn't worth it, but they are pretty easy to take apart and put back together again.

cudak888 

Mainly as you have a better chance of that headset operating as it was intended once you have it back together, rather then having it loosen up due to a badly fitting crown race.

-Kurt

Bioflamingo

I've got a couple Roadmasters. One is a newer MTB that I used a drill and saw on to make a $2 single speed MTB that I could use for errands around the salvage yard. The other is an old 3 piece crank 10 speed in nearly mint original condition. Even has the original tires/tubes. Probably less than 20(10 of which are mine) miles on it even after 30+ years. Nice riding bike for being low end. Based on my experience I'd say leave it primed and just put it back together and ride it. If the derailleurs start going out of tune faster than you can tune them, don't be afraid to teach them a violent lesson and make the bike a single speed. I wouldn't recommend using this method on nicer bikes, but for department store bikes there are no rules.

ebr898

OK I agree with you and your Uncle.
I had a 1969 Barracuda that tought me alot. One bit of wisdom that was passed on to me was - The first modification to a car you want to go fast is good brakes.
One of my worst accidents was because of the rear derailer stopped the cheap( yes it was a Roadmaster "Elite 12") bike, somthing the brakes could have never done. I forget about the steel wheels and cheap "Brakes".

Mos6502

And it happens about as often on any American made bike as it does on any foreign one. Puh-leeeze.

cycleheimer

When I worked in a bike shop as a kid, I used know other mechanics who were driven to violent outbursts and bouts of drinking because of the frustration and aggravation of working on those little nightmares. You need a casual attitude to deal with them. If you are a perfectionist, used to higher end bikes (better bikes are better to work on), you will develop an ulcer trying to true the wheels, adjust the gears and brakes, unbend parts that came bent from the factory for some unknown reason, and deal with white metal bolts that "pop" when you add just a little too much torque. The chrome sometimes "flakes" like razor blades, and you can slice up your fingers on it. You have to learn to live with slightly "off" wheel alignment and hops, and similar things you will not find on a "second hand" mid-range $75 Fuji (as an example). Not a bad place to "experiment" with bike mechanics, though. Just "keep it cheap", and save the big bucks for a nicer bike. That's the hard reality of it.

KDC1956

Seems funny to me most all who reply did not get my ? at all I was not asking how much I should or should not spend on this bike.I was asking how much you all would be willing to spend to bring back a 10 speed bicycle as far as is it worth the money who cares I don't mind spending money on any thing I like to work on to me its just the fun of working on them I could care less how much this old bicycle is worth to anyone.If it cost me 1 cent or 5000.00 dollars I did not ask for money form anyone.All I ask was how much would you spend to bring back a old 10 speed bicycle thats all to me this is funny.Have a great day to all.Funny how so many people said it a cheap bike but to some little kid is worth a lot to them and like one said give it to some one well thats what I do here I do rebuild old bicycle and I do give them away for FREE.

wrk101

I limit my spending on any bike to its market value, unless it has some unique sentimental value. I have yet to run out of low cost decent bikes to work on, and some little kid will enjoy one of those bikes as well.


I have a nice Trek child's bike I am rehabbing right now to donate. I picked it up for $7. I will put $10 to $15 into it, plus my personal time, and the child will get a really nice, solid bicycle that sells for about $200.

Mos6502

Yeah. And a bunch of people told you their answer to exactly that question.

cudak888 

Question asked question answered use commas and the spacebar please for it isnt worth it to read your run on post especially when you arent saying anything positive or nice in it.You know what I mean right.So read the thread again and see what people have to say because they are answering your question even though it isnt what you want to hear because its the unfortunate truth.If you dont really care whether it cost you 1 cent or 5000.00 dollars then why did you ask how much you should spend on it.If you feel that way but must ask whether you should put money into it then you are placing a double standard on what you are doing therefore one of your statements is not accurate.Just rebuild it spend how ever much you need to on it and give it to someone who will appriciate it if thats what you want to do but dont abuse the forum when they answer the very question you asked.

-Kurt

P.S.: If you are having trouble reading my post above, now you know how much effort it took everyone else to read yours (for nothing!)

jgedwa

Seems to me that people were beating around the bush to be polite.

So, here goes, here is my direct answer to your question: if that bike needed a tire I would call it totalled.

jim

thompsonpost

To the OP, the money you save by not fixing the bike you could spend on a keyboard that works and has an active shift key. Everybody wins.

redxj

+1 Just because you can put some money into a bike to fix it doesn't mean it is worthy of being fixed.

wrk101

My vote for answer of the year!!!!

cudak888 

That's pretty quick, seeing that we're two days into it

-Kurt